Free Repeat Offender (Hideaway) by Elyse Scott Page A

Anything you’d like to talk about?”
    “Probably,
but...” she hesitated. She didn’t really want to ask the question, but knew it
would gnaw at her over the coming days and weeks until she saw him again. “Do
you think this is... normal?”
    “This...?”
    “The-the
kinds of things I wanted to do. That I... like doing.”
    He
smiled. “It depends who you ask, sweetheart. If you’re asking me, I’d say yes,
definitely. And believe it or not, your fantasies are not that uncommon, and
certainly not as extreme as some I’ve seen. Most people have their kinks, if
they haven’t completely buried or denied them. Then, it’s a matter of being
honest and brave enough to bring those fantasies to life, either with a partner,
or with someone like me. And as you know, that’s not always easy, by any means.
A lot of people never manage it.”
    “And
what are you?” she said, a little afraid of the answer. She still wasn’t
sure what he wanted from her, or what she wanted from him.
    He
smiled. “Well, for now you can think of me as a very understanding friend.”
    She
laughed softly. “Okay.” That worked. For now.
    “Stop
brooding on everything,” he said. “Your subconscious can get on with the
processing without any help from you tonight.”
    She
rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m a writer. I live inside my head a lot of
the time. I think things through, and over, and I analyze, and...”
    “And
overanalyze.” He laughed softly. “I hear you. Many intelligent people have
difficulty getting out of their heads, and into their bodies. But you’re
certainly making progress.”
    “Well,
you have to give me points for effort tonight,” she said.
    “Sure
do. You’ve been incredibly brave and trusting. I know it’s been damned hard for
you at times, but you’ve stayed strong, and I know that you’ve tried to make it
good for me as well.” He grinned. “No denying what that does to me. I came damn
near to embarrassing myself when I was examining you and you were making those
noises.”
    She
grinned shyly. “I’m glad I pleased you, Sir.” She tried to stifle a yawn, and
failed.
    “You
did.” He pulled her closer, spooning up behind her. “Close your eyes, now,” he
said, giving in to a contented yawn himself.
                She
obeyed, his reassuring words and protective presence a balm to her spirit. She
fell asleep to the sound of the waves below.